TRENTON — He’s not running, but he isn’t going to sit on the sidelines either.

Republican strategists say even though Gov. Chris Christie has finally scotched speculation he will run for the White House, they expect he will remain at the center of Republican politics through next year and beyond.

As soon as the presidential buzz faded, a new guessing game started over whether Christie would wind up as another candidate’s running mate or as a high-profile campaigner.

"I’m sure he’ll be at the top of the list for vice president," said former Gov. Tom Kean, who has been a political mentor to Christe. "He’ll be the top choice for keynote speaker" at the Republican National Convention next year.

"I’m not looking for that job," Christie said, though he didn’t say what would happen if the job found him.

The governor fielded reporters’ questions for more than 45 minutes, but left a few crucial ones unanswered. He did not endorse any of the current presidential candidates, or say which one he was leaning toward. Nor did he say if he would seek re-election as governor in 2013.

Christie also deflected the question when asked if he would bide his time and seek the presidency in 2016.

"I have an interest in being employed in the future," he joked with one NBC reporter. "And I’m not going to preclude any offer of employment in the future, whether it’s president or working at NBC."

Speculation that Christie would reverse more than a year of denials and run for president increased sharply last week after his speech at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in California. But the "will he or won’t he" guessing game didn’t last long enough to wear thin, said Michael Dennehy, a Republican consultant who advised the presidential campaign of Sen. John McCain of Arizona in 2008.

"He let the speculation linger for about one solid week, but no one will hold that against him," Dennehy said. "The current field of candidates will continue to solicit his endorsement, and he will be a national player because of his charisma and management style."

Although most agree that Christie will be a power player in the national Republican Party, it’s unclear exactly how he will wield his influence next year.

"If he wants to be a major force within the party, he can push it toward the image he wants," said John Weaver, a Republican strategist advising the presidential campaign of Jon Huntsman, who has been governor of Nevada and ambassador to China.

Christie is not running for President, time to get back to businessLedger Live for October 5th, 2011. Ledger Live with Brian Donohue. Chris Christie has finally announced that he is not running for President after months of saying that he is not running for President. Now that the scores of journalists and television crews have left, it is time to get back to business.

Christie, for example, has pushed Republicans to focus on the issues he has championed as governor, chiding presidential candidates for not talking more about unfunded entitlement programs and failing schools.

He also kept up the pressure on President Obama Tuesday, calling him a "failed leader."

"I think the country will be better by making sure that President Obama is a one-termer," he said.

Once the campaign begins in earnest, however, Christie will have to accept a secondary role to let the party coalesce around a nominee, said Brigid Harrison, a political science professor at Montclair State University.

"You can’t have too many voices muddying the waters," Harrison said.

But Tom Wilson, a former Republican state chairman, said that will not prevent Christie from having a major role.

"He’s still one of a very small number of stars," Wilson said. "He may not be playing the position of quarterback, but he’s still one of the most valuable players on the team."